Double-door structure with latching mechanism



c. G. MINOR 2,566,578

DOUBLE DOOR STRUCTURE WITH LATCHING MECHANISM Sept. 4, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 29, 1947 0 J 2 a a iililM J m w H J 2 n n n v MM/ V U ,T HIIIIIIILUIIIIII w 1 MM fl dag Sept. 4, 1951 c. e. MINOR 6,5

- DOUBLE DOOR STRUCTURE WITH LATCHING MECHANISM Filed Nov. 29, 1947 1 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 9 41 JJ INVENTOR.

(Zar/ea 5 M7201" WJFIZ-M Sept. 4, 1951 c. G. MINOR 2,566,578

DOUBLE DOOR STRUCTURE WITH LATCHING MECHANISM 'IIIIIYA'IIIIIII) IN VEN TOR.

BY: /J

Sept. 4, 1951 c. ca. MINOR DOUBLE DOOR STRUCTURE WITH 'LATCHING MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed NOV. 29, 1947 J7 Car Sgpt. 4, 1951 c. G. MINOR 2,566,578

DOUBLE DOOR STRUCTURE WITH LATCHING MECHANISM Filed Nov. 29, 1947 5 Shets-Sheet 5 1 1 H1 H 11 1 m I Czar/a9 6'.

Patented Sept. 4, 1951 UNI- 11E11 STAT ES PATEN I'iC E' IiOUBIE-DOOR STRUCTURE WITH LATCHING MECHANISM Charles-G; Minor, Evanston, Ills, a'ss'igfior clone half to Albert/G. McCaleb,- Chicago, Illt; Harry H. Gmeiner executor of said Charles-G. Minor,

deceased; But hi McCaleb executrixof said Albert G. McCaleb; deceased Application-November 29, 1947, Serial No; "7'88-, 8 30' 6'Claims. 1,

This inventionrelate's to a double-door structure with a latching mechanism for releasably holding the doors intheir closed positions, and more particularly: to su'ch a structure which provides tightjoints-and' :avoids the necessity of a mullion between the doors Y It-is a generalobjectoi-my. invention to pro-- vide a" double doorstructure incorporatingv a latching'mechanism constructed and arranged to avoid the use of' a' mul lion and adapted to uses suchasthe closingiof =-refrigerato-rs and the like inwhich tight door joint seals are required.

As another object, .theinvention comprehends the provision of a double door'structure embodying a latch mechanism for holding both doors closed andwhichis operable=by a single release element for effectingnthe release and-opening of both doors.-

My. invention furtherhaswithin its purview the provision of a-mullionless' double door structure having a latching. mechanismfor holding the doors closed and wherein a tightly sealed joint is provided between adjacent edges of the doors by parts constructedand arranged to minimize friction and wear.

For another object, my. invention comprhends the provision of an effective and"eific'ient'latch system for a mullionles's' double door.

Other objects and advantagesof the" invention will be apparent fronithe'following' description ahd'the accompanying drawings in Wh'ichsim-ilar characters of reference-indicate similar parts throughout theseveral views.

Referring to th'efive sheets *of drawings,

Figs. 1 and? are respectively top plan and fragmentary front elev-ational viewsof a refriger ator cabinet or the 1 likehaving thereonatdouble door structure and latch mechanism' embodying a preferred form of-Tn'y invention;

Figs. 3 and i'are fragmentary side section" views ofmy door and latch structure's drawnto a larger scale than Figsland- 2,-and wherein the 'sections are taken' substanti'ally alongi a' linej between thedoors andas indi'catedmy the arrows Il -3 a'nd-4 -4 in Fig'. 2;

Fig. 5 1s a' iragmentar-y-sectional-view taken substantially on a line i 5 5- of Fig!" 3 -and in the direction indicatedby thearrows Fig. 6 1st, fragmentary sectional view similar to Fig. 5* but showing 'dii-fe'rent operatihga positions of some of the 'partsfl Fig: *7 is airagmentary sectional-view wherein the "section is broken and taken substantially: as indicated by the lin'es- 1 and-accompanying arrows in Fig.'3-;

Fig. 8 is a fragm'entary: and broken" sectional view wherein the sections are taken substantially as indicated by: the lines 8 8--and accompanying arrows in Fig. '7;

Fig. 9 is a fra mentar sectionalview taken substantially as indicated by. lines 9--9' and accompanyinglarrows in Fig.4;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentarysection-al viewsimilar to Fig. 9 but indicating different operating vpositions of the parts; and":

Fig. 11 is afragmentary sectional view wherein the section is taken substantially as indicated by linel l! I and accompanying arrows in Fig.v 9.

Referring generally to the exemplary embodiment of 1 my, invention which is 1 shown in s the accompanying drawings for illustrative purposes, I have depicted theadaptation of my mullion lss double door and latchstructures to a-refrigerator cabinet 45; although-the-use of such doors and latch mechanisms with respect to other types of housings may readily suggest themselves As depicted in Figs. -1 and 2; the refrigerator cabinet 15 has a c0mpartment l6-0pening outwardly at the front of thecabinet andadapted to be closed by doors I! and I8. Inthedisclosed embodiment of my invention, the doors ITandl'B are sup.- ported along. opposite side 'edgeswit'hrespect to the cabinet [5 by hinges l Wand 20 respectively.

Thus thedoors swing towards and from one another between-closed and-open positions; in the former ofwhich positions they are-in sub-- stantially flush relationship and overligmarginal portions of the cabinet such as 22'fand2'3-in Fig. 1. Also, when closed, andwhenusedonrefrigeratbrs and the like the- Joints between; the doors-ahd the cabinet are preferably; sealed by resilient gaskets such as 24; and...the jointbetween adiacent edges of the-doorsis---desirably. sealed'by a resilient gasket such as-25; A manually operable handle 26 is mounted-at-a convenient position on the outersurface of'one-of the doors for effecting control of door latching mechanisms-which will be described indetai-l' and which releasably hold the doorsin theirclosed positions without the aidxof a mullionbetweenthe doors.

Referring :to the disclosed structure in greater detail, .the' doors I! and 18-, fo-r a'daptation to fefrigerator'service; are desirably made of sheet At the-edge of the'door' l8-opposite-the hinge 20, I

the panels lfland 'fl -are-joined byaa sheet metal latch keepers 58 and 52.

strip 33 having side flanges 34 and 35 disposed between the panels to provide a channel 36 opening outwardly at the edge of the door. On the other door I1, the panel 28 has a portion 3! bent to form an edge surface for the door-and having a flange 38 thereon which is secured to the margin of panel 21. At the mid-portion of the panel portion 31, as shown in Figs. 3 and 8, an opening 39 is provided adjacent a recess 40 to provide space for a latch mechanism 42.

As illustrated in Figs 5, 6, 9 and 10, the door I8 has a rocker plate 43 supported for limited rotational movement in the channel 36 by aligned upper and lower support bolts 44 and 45 respectively (Figs. 4 and 11), which support bolts provide an axis of rotational movement extendin longitudinally of the edge. of the door and located in the mid-portion of the channel 36. i As illustrated, the rocker plate 43 is substantially eo-extensive with the edge of the door and of a width such that it practically closes the opening of the channel 36 with only suflicient clearance along the side edges for free rotational movement of flanged edges 46 and 41 thereof between the flanges 34 and 35 which define the channel 36.

Upper and lower latch pawls 48 and 49 are secured to the inner surface of the rocker plate '43 near opposite ends thereof and in positions for releasable latching engagement with latch tions 23 of the cabinet I by fastening means such as screws 53 (Figs. 4, 9, and 11). In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the latch pawls 48 and 49 are provided with integral flanges 54 and 55 respectively, which flanges fit against and are secured to the inner surface of the rocker plate 43. As shown in Figs. 9 and 10, substantially flat end portions such as 56 on the latch pawls project outwardly from the channel 36 through slots such as 51 in the side flange 34 of the channel on the inner surface of the door and present keeper engaging surfaces such as 58.

In my preferred construction and as indicated in Figs. 9, 10, and 11, the support bolts 44 and 45 have shoulders such as 59 adjacent threaded end portions such as 60 which extend through openings 62 in the latch pawls and are secured in position by fastening means such as nuts 63. Brackets such as 64 are secured to the sheet metal strip 33 within the channel and are provided with bearing bores such as 65 in which the bolts 44 and 45 are supported for rotational movement adjacent the outer surfaces of the latch pawls.

Springs such as 66 surround projecting end portions of the bolts 44 and 45 adjacent the brackets 64 and have projecting end portions such as 61 and 68 which normally bias the rocker plate '43 to an angularly disposed position such that it facs somewhat outwardly of the door opening and has its outer end disposed within the channel 36, while its inner end projects outwardly of the channel as shown in Fig. 10.

Springs 66, as indicated, normally bias the rocker plate 43 and latch pawls 48 and 49 to positions such that they are disengaged from the Thus, the door I8 is normally released for swinging movement to its open position, and is only latched by the pawls and their respective kepers when the rocker plate is held in a latch engaging position against the biasing force of the springs 66.

In order to effect latching of the door I8 in its closed position relative to the cabinet I5, the door I! has secured thereto near the inner margin of its exposed end surface a striker strip 69 which is made of a relatively hard and durable material, such as phenol fiber or plastic, and is secured in position by fastening means such as screws 18. The striker strip 69 etxends longitudinally along the inner end surface of the door at a position such that during the 'closingmovements of the doors, or when the door I8 is closed and the door II moves toward it to closed position, the striker stripengages the projecting outer surface of the rocker plate intermediate the inner end thereof and its axis of rotational movement. By engaging the rocker plate in that position, the closing movement of the door I! effectsmovement of the rocker plate and the latch pawls 43 and 49 against the biasing force of their springs and into positions such that the latch pawls engage their respective keepers to hold the door I8 in its closed position relative to the cabinet.

In order to provide an effectively sealed joint between the adjacent edges of the doors I! and. I8 when they are in their closed positions, a sealing strip 12 of resilient material is secured to and extends longitudinally along the outer marginal portion of the rocker plate 43, as Well as across the upper and lower ends thereof, as depicted in Figs. 4, 9, 10 and 11. This sealing strip is desirably hollow and thus deformable to provide an effective area of surface engagement with the edge surface of the door IT, as shown in Figs. 9 and 11. Also as indicated in those figures, the sealing strip may be provided with integral and deformable mounting button portions 13 for engagement in suitable apertures I4 in the rocker plate to secure the sealing strip in place.

With the door I8 thus held in its closed position relative to the cabinet by the latch pawls 48 and 49 carried by rocker plate 43 and normally biased to a position for releasing the door, and since the latch pawls for the door I8 are controlled by the door II, the door Il may be latched in its closed position relative to the door I8 and the opening of both doors may be controlled by the single manually operable handle 26. In the disclosed embodiment of my invention, the latch mechanism 42 which holds the door Il in its closed position relative to the door I8 includes an adjustable striker block secured Within a recess I6 formed in the mid-portion of the exposed outer surface of the rocker plate and carrying a roller 'Il engageable with a latching'surface I8 of a latch bolt I9. The striker block I5 is secured in position by fastening means suchas screws 89 and has a recess 82 adjacent an inner corner thereof in which the roller 11 is carried for rotational movement by a pin 83;.the length of the roller being ample for full engagement with the latching surface I8 of the latchbolt I9.

The latch bolt 19 is carried forlimited rotational movement within and relative to a latch box 84 by a shaft 85. The latch box 84 has mounting flanges 86 on its front surface and is supported within the latch recess 48- in substantially flush relationship to the edge surface of the door by a plate 81 to Which it is secured by fastening means such as screws 88; the plate 61 being secured to theedge surface of the door by fastening means such as screws 89 threaded into internal reinforcing strips 90. Compression spring 92 disposed within a recess 93 in the latch bolt I9 and projecting therefrom into engagement with the inner surface of the latch box biases the latch bolt toa position such that the latching surface I8 projects from the edge surface of the door through an opening 93 in plate 81 to a= position- I for latchingengagement with the 'roller TI on thestriker block I51 The surface of" the latch bolt' adjacent the latching surface I9 is smoothly curved to serve as a camsurface adapted to engage the roller 'I'I during" the closing movement of the door I! when the latch bolt is extended, thereby to effect a' retracting movement-ofthe latch bolt until it has passedbeyond the-center of the roller. In a= posi-tion opposite the exposed end of the compression spring 92 and displaced from the axis of-the shaft 85, the latch box 84- is open and has movably mounted therein a hinge plate 94"carried relative to the-box for swinging movement by a shaft 95. The inner surface ofthe hinge plate 94*normally engages a'projecting lug 96 on the adjacent surface of the; latch bolt, which lug presents a rounded surface adapted to have a cam-action with the surface of the hingeplate during-the movements of -the latch bolt.

As depicted in Figs; 5,- 6-, '7 and 8, the exposed and manually operable handle -26 is secured to andcarried by a cross'shaft 91, which cross shaft, ir'r'turn', is supported for rotational movement in a'bearinggbore 98 which extends through a bearing"block' 99; As illustrated in Fig. 8, the bearing"block 99 is secured to the outer surface of the'door I! by fastening'means such as screws I99 threaded into a plate I02 inside the panel 28 of the door. On the side of the bearing block-opposits-the handle-26, the cross shaft 91 is secured to'andcarries-a latch actuating lever I03 which extends "through an opening I04 in the door panel Rand-normally engages the exposed outer surface of the hinge plate 94; As depicted in Fig. 3, a compression spring I05 mounted between an end portion I06 of 'a bracket'IU'I and an angular- 1y disposed end portion IIl8-of a projecting portion IIJBintegrally formed on the end of the handle.26 normally biases the handle to a position such that a resilient bumper block H9 carried bythe handle engages'the panel 28 of the door I'I. In this position, the lever Iii3-is retracted to an extent such that the latching surface I8'of the latch bolt I9 is extended. The bracket I01 has an end portion Il2 which is secured to thepanel 28 of the door II. Also, a projecting portion I09'of the handlehas an internal shoulder I I3 engageable with the end portion. I06i ofthe bracket III'I to limit the outward movement of thehandle 26 toa position in which thelatching surface I8 is released fromthe roller I1, and thus providing a stop permitting the use of the handle for the application. of force to open the door after the release of the latch. In its latch releasing position, the handle 28 assumes aposition, substantially as indicated by dot anddash linesinF'lg'. 3 at 29a.

Inorder to improvethe outward appearance ofvthe door. latch and.'mechanism and tocover the bearing block 99, aswell as the'en'ds'of the cross; shaft; 9'l,'.lever I03 and handle 29, an escutcheon H4 is mounted over those parts. By preference, the bearing. block is provided with angularly disposed. wedge-surfaces I I5 onto which the escutcheon is placed by lateral sliding movement. Whenthusplacedthe escutcheon is secured in position by fastening means such as a screw I I6. For balance and appearance, a second escutcheon I I1 is mounted in an aligned and adjacent position-on the door- 185 In this instance'a support bracket-I IS-is secured tothe panel '30 of the door I8 by fastening means such as a screw H9 and has wedge surfaces (not shown) similar ,to those of the bearing block 99, upon which the escutcheon -I I1 ifitsl Also, fasteningmeanssuch as a screw I201holds the-escutcheon I I1 inrpl'acer In my preferred structure, the escutcheon! II4 has an internalboss I22,',bored.to prOVi'deaLbear ing I23 which receives and provides additional support for the projecting endof the .cross shaft ing movement of the door I! eifects engagement ofthe-latching surface I8 with theroller 'I'I on'the latch block I5 and thus latches the door I'I in its closed position relative to the door I8.

Outward movement of the handle 26'awayfrom the door I! against the biasing force of th'ecom pression springs 92 and I95 retracts the latch bolt I9 by rotational movement thereof and thereby effects release of the latching surface"? from the roller TI on the latch block 15. Being thus released, the manual force applied to the handle 26" for releasing the latch is also in a direction to start the opening movement'of the door I1; When thus started, the opening movement of the door I! is aided by the biasing force of the spring fiii'against the rocker plate 43 which is transmitted to the door II'throu'gh the striker strip 69. The door I8; although released, remains substantially closed until manually opened, unless it is desired for some reason to apply thereto aspring which will bias the door to an open position.

While I have illustrateda preferred embodiment'of my invention, many modifications maybe made without departing from thespirit ofthe invention, and I do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction" set forth, but desire to avail myself of all changes within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In a double door structure adapted tightly to close a door opening, of a housing and to'be latched in the closed position without the use of a mullion between the doors in said opening, the combination comprisin two doors hingedly supported at opposite edges for swinging movement toward and from one another between open and closed positions, said .doors in their cl'osed:posi= tion being substantially flush with one another and having edges in adjacent relationship at the mid-portion of the door opening, a first latch carried by one of said doors and supported'for swinging. movement relative to said edge thereof, said-first latchbeing normallybiased by asp-ring to a'position in which said one .of the doors is re, leased for opening movement, a keeper secured to saiduhousingin position for engagement by said first latch toiholdthe said one :of the doors in the closed position, an actuating element on the other ofr-said doors for effecting engagementof the keeper by. said first latch. when said doors are moved to: their closed positions, a. second latch on'said other door positioned for engagement with .akeeper on said one of the'doors and normally biased to a latching position for holding theother of saidadoors in the closed position, and means including a manually operable handle on said other of the doors for effecting release of said second latch to free said other of the doors for opening movement which results in movement of the actuating element, away from the first latch and movement of said first latch by the spring to a position away from said keeper on the housing.

. 2.. In a double door structure adapted tightly to close a door opening of a housin and to be latched in the closed position without the use of a mullion between the doors in said opening, the combination comprising two doors hingedly supported at opposite edges for swinging movement toward and from one another between open and closed positions, said doors in their closed position being substantially flush with one another and having edge surfaces in adjacent relationship at the mid-portion of the door opening, upper and lower latch elements mounted on a single support piece and carried by one of said doors for limited swinging movement relative to the vertical free edge of the door, said support piece being normally biased to a position in which said one of the doors is released for opening movement, keepers secured to said housing in position for engagement by said latch elements to hold the said one of the doors in the closed position, an actuating element on the other of said doors for effecting movement of said single support piece and latch elements to their keeper engaging positions when said other of the doors is moved to the closed position after movement of said one of the doors to its closed position, a second latch mounted on said other of the doors and engageable with a keeper on said one of the doors for holding the other of said doors in the closed position when moved thereto, and a manually operable handle on said other of the doors for efiecting release of said second latch so that said otherof the doors is free to open, thereby to effect separation of the actuating element from the single support piece and resultant release of the latch elements to release said one of the doors for opening movement.

3. In a double door structure adapted tightly to close a door opening of a housing and to be latched in the closed position without the use of a mullion between the doors in said opening, the combination comprising two doors hingedly supported at opposite side edges for swinging move ment toward and from one another between open and closed positions, said doors in their closed position being substantially flush with one another, and having edges in adjacent relationship at the mid-portion of the door opening, a latch element including a latch pawl carried by one of said doors and supported for swinging movement relative to said edge and about an axis extending longitudinally of the mid-portion of the edge, said latch element being normally biased by resilient means to a position in which said one of the doors is released for opening movement, a keeper secured to said housing in position for engagement by said latch pawl to hold the said one of the doors in the closed position, an actuating element on the other of said doors in position to engage the latch element inwardly of said axis during inward swinging movement of said other of the doors for effecting swinging movement of said latch element and pawl into holding engagement with said keeper, a second latch on said other of the doors and engageable with a keeper on said one of the doors when both of the doors are closed for holdin the other of said doors in the closed position, and means including a manually operable handle on said other ofthe doors for ef fecting release of said second latch, therebyto release said other door for opening movement which results in separation of the actuatingelement from said latch element and release of said latch element for movement by the biasing force applied thereto.

4. In a double door structure as defined in claim 3, said second latch including a latch bolt mount ed for swinging movement relative to the 'edge of said other of the doors between extended and retracted positions, a spring biasing the latch bolt to the extended position, and said keeper for the second latch including a roller engageable with the extended latch bolt. 1 1' 5. In a double door structure adapted tightly to close a door openin of a housing and to be latched in the closed position without the use of a mullion between the doors in said opening, the combinationcomprising two doors hingedly supported at opposite edges for swinging movement toward and from one another between open and closed positions, said doors in their closed positions being substantially flush with one another and having edges in adjacent relationship at the mid-portion of the door opening, a first latch carried by one of said doors and includin a latch element secured to a movable rocker plate, said rocker plate being supported for limited rotational movement about a fixed axis extending longitudinally along the mid-portion of the edge of the said one of the doors, said rocker plate also being normally biased to an angular position facing somewhat outwardly of said one of the doors and in which position of the rocker plate the door is released for opening movement, a keeper se-' cured to said housing in position for engagement by said first latch to hold the said one of the doors in the closed position, an actuating element on the other of said doors for efiecting en'- gagement of the keeper by the first latch when said doors are moved to their closed positions, a second latch on said other door positioned for engagement with a keeper on said one of the doors and normally biased to a latching position for holding the other of said doors in the closed position, said keeper for the second latch being mounted in a recess in the rocker plate and movable with the rocker plate to a position for operative engagement with the keeper on said one of the doors when the doors are in their closed po sitions, and a manually operable handle on said other of the doors for effecting release of said second latch.

I 6. In a double door structure as defined in claim 5, said actuating element comprising a buffer strip secured to the edge of said other 'of the doors at a position aligned for engagement with said rocker plate during closing movement of the doors to effect movement of the rocker plate against the biasin force applied thereto.

CHARLES G. MIN/OR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

